Powergaming
"Powergaming" is a term that gets thrown around a lot. If you don't know what it is, or understand why it's being used to describe your behavior, you can't really improve. So let's remove excuses. A "powergame" is the term used to describe when a player: * Tries to force another player to dramatically change their plans for a situation. * Tries to force their way out of a scenario that is a logical result of their actions. * Does something that another player has explicitly or implicitly asked them to not do. * Tries to "win" via superpowers in a situation where no sane player would expect them to. For example, suppose Rarity is being kidnapped by Diamond Dogs again. This is a terrible thing, somepony should save her! Or maybe not. Rarity's probably being kidnapped because she WANTS to be kidnapped. If she didn't want to be kidnapped, she'd ignore the Diamond Dogs. She's probably got plans that last for hours, and is probably looking forward to it. If you show up with your magic wand and save her in an instant, you ruin her fun. For that matter, just because she's Rarity doesn't mean she wants to be kidnapped by Diamond Dogs. So she's not likely to play along with anyone that tries to kidnap her. Powergaming is not always bad, though! Sometimes a person thinks they don't want a hero, but someone else comes up with an idea better than the original plan. If what you want to do will dramatically change someone's scene, make sure to send them your pitch before starting. The Secret to Making People Love Powergaming Most of the harm in powergaming comes from a lack of communication between players. (Most problems in RP stem from that cause.) Powergaming does the most harm when someone doesn't find out until the very end of a scene that they were wrong about what was going to happen in the scene. To solve accusations of powergaming, start ensuring that you always communicate your intents if you want a dramatic ending. You cannot be a powergamer if you make a promise and keep it. Be aware of what logical consequences of your actions are. If you want to deviate, everyone else needs to know. Here's some examples of good ways to set up excuses to powergame: *"Hey, @mlp_Rainbow, I want to run the danger field with you and come close to winning, maybe lead for half the run. Is that OK?" * "Hey, @mlp_Applejack, care to play horseshoes? Winner decided by dice roll." * "Hey, @mlp_Pinkie, want a cupcake eating contest? We'll decide who wins as we play. We'll make it real crazy." These work because you are making it clear who wins and who loses. The first is a race with Rainbow Dash, who is sort of canon supposed to win, so the request makes it clear you want to show off some talent but will still respect her. The second makes it clear you don't care who wins, but also don't have a real narrative plan. The third has a subtle implication: "We're both going to powergame each other and eventually someone wins." Discussing who wins up front and sticking to that decision builds trust. * "Hey, I need my character to win even though they shouldn't because . Is that going to be OK?" * "Psst, changeling in Ponyville, can my guardpony be suspicious and tail you for a while?" * "Hey, changelings, I want to snoop around and leave and not get noticed. Or get noticed and ignored." * "I'd sure love to invade the changeling village and make a discovery. I know you like to chase/eject ponies and I'm willing to get caught afterwards, just let me do my thing." Make this kind of request BEFORE you start. The other person NEEDS to know you want them to lose where they might normally win, or that you'd like a concession. It shows you know their rules and intend to play by them. If they say no, respect their wishes and find something else to do. This builds trust. * "Hey, Ponyville pony, I'm a changeling and want to deceive you. Are you OK with some malicious snuggles?" * "Hey , I want my guard to do something useful. Mind paying Ponyville a visit and getting revealed? I'll let you escape." These should ALWAYS be discussed before you start. These situations plan for you to win when the "rules" of the game would otherwise dictate you should lose. Or they require you to do something crazy, like get out of changeling resin with fire breath. Or they require you to completely foil someone's scene. If you do this stuff without permission, you're going to ruin someone else's fun. Good luck getting them to play with you again. It is not good enough to say, "Well, they should know my character never loses at this kind of thing." Unless you're a mane, you don't have widespread knowledge of your canon. Always ask. Always inform. Never assume. It is very, very, very important to keep any promise you make to "lose". People don't tend to get very mad if you change your mind about winning. Always be up-front about what you plan to deliver, and you can never be blamed for delivering it. If you find yourself in an uncomfortable position or change your mind, let them know immediately and apologize profusely. The sooner they find out, the better, and a good partner will find a way to end the scene without forcing you to powergame out of it. If you are worried that something is powergaming, it probably is. Ask before doing. Respect other players' wishes. It builds trust. Category:RP Info Category:TwitterPonies Guidelines